Afternoon all.
Just a quick highlights report of a week in the French alps. As two years ago, three of us based ourselves in Samoens. We hired a car and then did day walks, mainly as the number of injuries we all carry make icing a late afternoon necessity!!
Day one was supposed to be a circular walk from Les Fignons, above Sixt Fer A Cheval, but there was a huge amount of snow above aroiund 1800 metres which appeared to be degrading and was heavily undercut, so we bottled it and made it an out and back trip. A couple of photos taken at lunch on the Col Pelouse
Looking South from Col Pelouse
And looking the other way
Day three was a short day, from the Col de la Colombiere. The route took us up to a ridge at the Col de Belafrasse between Pointe Blanche and Pointe du Midi - it was exposed in places, a little like Striding Edge - wonderful wonderful views and inhabited by a number of Bearded Vultures and Ibex;
Day Four saw my third attempt to climb the Aouille de Crioux, which is a towering peak which dominates the skyline above Samoens. Three years ago the effects of the previous nights wine fountain stopped me at around 1800m ( the peak is around 2200. Two years ago heat did for us at 1950, so this year we set determined faces to the mountain and went for it. The first few hours are easy climbing but the last 300 metres are steep, very steep, and very very hot. WE saw nobody in seven hours of walking, and got a bravo from the buvette keeper on the way down. View from the cross;
Dat five was a day linking a couple of peaks above Praz de Lys, a small ski resort. Tis was our only busy day - we took in two peaks, Pointe Chavasse and Pointe Chalune. .
Ponte Chalune from Pointe Chavasse;
And in reverse;
Pointe Chalune - the peak was literelly covered in Summit Slugs - there was a party of walkers who all decided to take a long lunch, some using the cairn to rest against, and none lookijg as if they were having a good time
Summit Slugs and Mont Blanc
Summit Slugs and the Roc D'Enfer
Day six was a circular centred on the Refuge de Lanterne (Alfred Wills);
Rochers de Fiz
The week was brilliant and I know my photos do not do it justice. A mix of exposed ridges, forest tracks with views opening out, rivers, waterfalls, peaks and passes. Beer and wine.
If anyone is visiting the area for the first time, or wants some routes, feel free to pm me.
Paul